KIPP Sharpstown Read-a-Thon

Back in January, the Vox team came across a wonderful opportunity to serve the Houston community through a partnership with KIPP Sharpstown College Prep through Dane Roberts, a teacher at KIPP. Our role in the Read-a-Thon was to capture the faces and stories of the students there, in hopes of creating buzz and gaining support for an adventure never to be forgotten.

   

“The hard-working 6th graders of KIPP Sharpstown College Prep in Southwest Houston go to school from 7:30 to 5:00 every day, go to a mandatory summer school, and do homework every night so that they can achieve their college and life dreams. To practice the persistence and teamwork required to succeed in life, they also want to climb the tallest mountain in Texas: Guadalupe Peak! “ (From the KIPP Read-a-Thon blog)

  

As soon as we got a look at the students in their classrooms, we knew this wasn’t just any other school. More than 87 percent of the young men and women who attend the school are from low-income families, but students here defy the statistics of their demographic on a daily basis. KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. KIPP builds a partnership among parents, students, and teachers that puts learning first. By providing outstanding educators, more time in school learning, and a strong culture of achievement, KIPP is helping all students climb the mountain to and through college.

Here’s a look at the bookmark we created for each and every one of the students in order to help fund the trip:

   

And the promo video featuring student responses to our interview questions: 

Vox gives a special thanks to Dane Roberts for inviting us to be a part of such a successful project. It was a privilege to be able to capture the smiles, song, and thoughts of these amazing students!